The university's dance team finished first in the hip-hop division at the 2004 College Cheerleading and Dance Team Nationals Jan. 16-18 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Big time stuff. It was the first national championship in the team's history. The dance team also nailed down two other top 10 finishes - sixth in the Division 1A competition, while the cheerleaders were eighth in their division.

And, in their first year of existence, UC's all-girl squad finished 12th in the stunts competition.

"I am totally thrilled," said head coach Lisa Spears. "We have been going to the dance contest about 13 years, but this is the first time we have won. It was really a good weekend for UC."

She said the UC entourage included about 40 students and 100 fans. Spears said UC ended the championships as the only school to place cheer, dance and hip-hop squads in the top-10 of all three Division 1A competitions.

Clothing for the needy

Katelyn Ishee, 14, of West Chester, needed service hours for her confirmation ceremony at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Liberty Township.

The 14-year-old eighth-grader at Liberty Junior School did her share of baby-sitting and odd jobs to earn some of the required hours, but she felt the need to take on a more personal, meaningful project.

"I wanted a project where I really felt I made a difference in people's lives," she said.

The solution? Katelyn initiated a clothing drive to benefit Reach Out Lakota.

Katelyn distributed a flyer to the residents of her Wetherington neighborhood asking for donations of winter clothing items. She collected 15 large bags full of sweatshirts, winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens and scarves.

The items have been donated to Reach Out Lakota, and will soon be warming needy residents of West Chester and Liberty Townships.

Besides her schoolwork and religious education, Katelyn is a year-round swimmer for teams at Countryside YMCA and Wetherington Golf & Country Club, a year-round basketball player for St. Maximilian Kolbe, Liberty Junior School and AAU, and she plays volleyball for Liberty Junior School and the Sports Academy.

Katelyn is the daughter of Bob and Becky Ishee of West Chester.

Honorary fellow

Dr. John M. Tew, neurosurgeon with the Mayfield Clinic and Medical director of the Neuroscience Institute of University Hospital and the University of Cincinnati, has been named an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Giving back: Everybody Counts

No doubt the spirit of Giving Back was enhanced by a program at Cardinal Pacelli School, Mount Lookout, last week called "Everybody Counts."

The program is designed to teach students about the many types of disabilities and how people overcome their limitations.

It was developed by Nancy Kayes, a mother of 13 children, 10 of whom are disabled.

Kayes said the program is based on the theory that openness and acceptance can be taught, and inclusion is an effective way to educate children.

In the program, parent volunteers presented one disability or condition to each grade.

The students met parents and children with disabilities and were able to examine aids and devices they need.

Students experienced what it would be like to cope with the disability.

The program exposed students to such disabilities as cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, spina bifida, seizures, learning disabilities, severe burns, missing limbs and Tourette syndrome.